Kolb Drops Bid in New York as Cahill Mulls Entry

Slade Blackwell entered the Alabama GOP primary right before the filing deadline.

AL GOV: State Sen. Slade Blackwell (R) switched from a reelection bid to the governor’s race on Friday, “the final day to qualify for the 2018 election.” (Yellowhammer News)

CA GOV: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Monday released “his first campaign ad. It features the then-San Francisco mayor presiding over the first same-sex marriages in the city on this day 14 years ago.” (San Francisco Chronicle)

“[T]he four top Democratic candidates” at a union forum “promised to fight for higher pay for in-home healthcare workers and stronger union protections for SEIU Local 2015, the largest chapter of the Service Employees International Union’s California organization. The state group is expected to announce its endorsement ahead of the California Democratic Party convention later this month.” (Los Angeles Times)

GA GOV: State House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams (D) released a list of 106 local elected leaders endorsing her bid. (release)

“MGM Resorts International, which envisions a $1 billion-plus complex in Atlanta … contributed at least $22,000 to former state Rep. Stacey Evans (D) and another $14,000 to … Abrams.” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

ID GOV: State Rep. Paulette Jordan (D) “will appoint a long-term substitute to fill her seat for the rest of the legislative session, instead of resigning, as she announced earlier this week.” (Idaho Statesman)

NY GOV: State Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb (R) “announced on Friday that he was dropping out of the race, saying in a statement that he realized that the campaign would require spending ‘every week for at least the next nine months on the road, away from my loving family.’” (New York Times)

“The departure took place one day after The Post inquired about rumors about an ‘inappropriate’ incident that allegedly took place 15 years. He denies the rumors that detractors have whispered about for years calling it lies spread by ‘political enemies.’” (New York Post)

John Cahill (R), an aide to former Gov. George Pataki (R), “is considering throwing his hat in the ring.”

“Since … Kolb left the race Friday night, nine Republican county chairs—all from areas outside New York City—threw their support behind” state Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco (R). (Wall Street Journal)

Republican party leadership “are said to be reaching out to other potential candidates in hopes they’ll throw their hat in the ring. The most prominent name mentioned by several Republicans is … Pataki. … Few believe there’s a chance he’d do it. … Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro (R) has received a number of calls from Republicans asking he reconsider his January decision not to run. … Other names mentioned by different Republicans include” former state Sen. Jack Martins (R) and former Reps. Nan Hayworth (R) and Richard Hanna (R). “At least two Wall Street types are also said to be pondering a run.”

DeFrancisco, former Pataki aide Joseph Holland (R), and former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra (D) attended a fundraiser for the Manhattan GOP committee hosted by former White House aide Anthony Scaramucci and former mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis. (New York Daily News)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) “favorability rating is 53-40 percent, down from 62-30 percent last month, and his job performance rating is negative 45-53 percent, down from positive 50-48 percent,” according to a new Siena College poll (Feb. 5-8; 823 RVs; +/-3.9%). (release)

“Giambra accused … Cuomo of running his administration like the mafia — and said it gives Italians a bad name. Giambra, who is Italian, referenced testimony coming out of the federal corruption trial of former longtime Cuomo aide and confidante Joseph Percoco. In the case, Percoco borrowed from the mob TV show ‘The Sopranos’ by referring to money as ‘ziti.’” (New York Daily News)

“Republicans running for governor fielded tough questions about Step Up Oklahoma, campaign contributions, water rights and other topics here on Saturday at a GOP meeting that featured most of the announced candidates.” (NewsOK)

SC GOV: Mortgage company executive John Warren (R) entered the race Sunday. “Warren is expected to self fund a good part of his bid. … Warren said he wants term limits for lawmakers, competitive bidding on all state contracts and a constitutional amendment that life begins at conception. … [H]e is taking aim at the Statehouse corruption probe that has led to the resignation of three legislators and indictments against three other current and former lawmakers.” (Charleston Post & Courier)

“Most candidates for governor said Friday they oppose a House bill passed this week that would prevent local governments from enacting new commercial bans on single-use plastic bags and Styrofoam products.” Gov. Henry McMaster (R) will “likely” sign it, according to a spokesman. (Charleston Post & Courier)

TN GOV: Rep. Diane Black (R) “was one of four House Republicans to not cast a vote on the $400 billion dollar budget deal that reopened the federal government early Friday. … A congressional aide said Black’s decision to not vote on the budget bill was influenced by Republicans’ move to work with Democrats on the measure. … Black was not even in Washington, D.C. at the time of the early morning vote. ” (Nashville Tennessean)

TX GOV: Houston investor Andrew White (D) “plans to start airing the first television ad of the Democratic primary for governor Monday … focusing on his rescue of people stranded by Hurricane Harvey. … His campaign said the … ad will run Monday through primary election day, initially in Houston, on broadcast and cable.” It describes him as “a son of Democratic Governor Mark White, and a son of Texas.” (San Antonio Express-News)

“Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said he has decided to endorse” former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez (D). (San Antonio Express-News)